


Where You Are

by stargirlinterlude



Category: Hamilton - Miranda
Genre: Abandoned Work - Unfinished and Discontinued, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-04-07
Updated: 2017-04-09
Packaged: 2018-10-16 02:05:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,527
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10561584
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stargirlinterlude/pseuds/stargirlinterlude
Summary: [Discontinued work]





	1. Arrival

_“From June through October, the local Nevis Turtle Group hosts nighttime “Turtle Watch” Walks on the secluded beaches of Nevis three days a week.”_

John's professor had suggested the trip: volunteering and working with little kids on a tiny, forgotten island would be beautiful to put on your resume. But to be fair, the turtles were the main reason John decided to go. Besides, he wanted to see the world. (The 15 study credits were a nice bonus, too).

So that was why first year law student (and biomedical sciences minor) John Laurens was now standing on a tiny, overheated airport in the middle of nowhere, AKA Charlestown, Nevis.

John wondered where the _fuck_ he got himself into.

It all started when his taxi didn’t show up. That was a real banger. After at least five angry phone calls, he finally got a trip to his homestay—in a crappy second hand bus. The smell was the first real thing that got to him since he arrived, and John had trouble breathing through his nose the entire ride.

Settling into his homestay was one big rush, but the family seemed nice and he got an actual bed, so John was more than content.

He emptied his suitcase, called his parents, and after a good two minutes contemplating how fucking _crazy_ it was that he was _actually_ spending two months here, he asked his host for directions to the orphanage. He decided it was smart to take in his surroundings for the next couple of months. Tonight he’d hit up the beach, search for turtles. The idea alone made him giddy already.

John relished in the warm weather as he walked down the street. Even though promising himself never to admit it, he was actually very grateful that his father packed sunscreen for him; he already felt his freckles starting to burn.

The city was extremely small; it consisted of one big street with little shops, and John had read online that there were approximately 1,500 inhabitants. He curiously watched the islanders going about their day, opening up their shops, and frantically trying to sell him souvenirs and cheap sunglasses.

He already adored this place.

 

Arriving at the orphanage, it was visible the place really needed all the help young volunteers like John could get. The place looked like falling apart, and the cracks in the walls made John anxious the building was capable of caving in any second. He already saw a few tools spread out in front of the building. The renovation project he applied for was starting tomorrow, but there were already a few volunteers working, John saw. He walked up to them, his trademark goofy smile plastered on his face.

“Hi, I’m John Laurens! I applied for the renovation project,” he spoke cheerily to the two people working on ordering their tools. Their heads turned, examining John thoroughly. And then they shrugged. And went on with their work.

“Uhm, hi?” John tried again. Weird. “What’s your name?” he asked, and _yep, they were definitely ignoring him_. He stepped past them, now shrugging himself, and walked inside the orphanage. He wasn’t going to let anyone ruining this fucking trip.

Inside, he easily heard the loud, brash voices of children. The building was a little bit bigger than he thought it would be, but very small, still. One of the rooms in the front was apparently a makeshift reception, so he checked in, marveling at the ancient computer system the receptionist used. _They should start a fund for that alone_ , John thought distantly. The girl behind the reception spoke broken English, which astounded John—why in your right mind would you, on an entire island filled with English-speaking inhabitants, hire a girl who can barely pronounce the word “orphanage?”

The two worked with hand gestures and noise-based sounds for about half an hour before John understood he was “free to explore the orphanage and meet the children, before starting tomorrow morning.”

He thanked the girl with a kiss on her hand (which made her tinted skin blush a deep red, to John’s delight).

John liked kids. They were hilarious to talk to, and as long as they weren’t crying or screaming their lungs out they were pretty adorable, too. The fact he could hear them from across the hall was therefore a little bit discouraging, but once again, this was his fucking summer holiday, and nothing was going to stop him from enjoying it (and doing some charity work along the way, of course).

 

The kids were all camped out in one big, open room, where the ceiling _actually was_ partly coming down. They clearly didn’t have many toys, and the ones they had were almost antique. But they apparently seemed to make it work, since they were playing some strange big game, with someone who counted and someone who ticked off the other. John observed the little kids for a solid whole minute before their curious eyes got a hold of his. They shuffled towards him with grins on their faces, and John felt his heart melt already. The kids blabbered at him in broken English, too— _education for orphans must be a weak point here,_ John thought sadly. Soon they were all touching his half-white skin and asking him hundreds of questions about his home.

“How old is you?”

“Where is you from?”

“What is your name?”

“Is there more of you?"

“Are you here to help us?”

 “Woah, woah, slow down y’all,” John laughed, gesturing with his hands. Some of the kids sat down in front of him, staring at him full of adoration. John felt a small blush creep up on his cheeks. This kind of attention made him uncomfortable.

“Hey y’all, I’m John Laurens. You’re going to see me around here for a few months, I’m going to help brighten the place here a bit, and I’d love to meet all of you!” He hugged a few bold six-year-old girls while he spoke, and various children started shouting out their names.

 

After a while, the chaos had calmed down a little bit, and John settled down on a crappy chair with one of the bold little girls, who was intent on him helping her with her homework.

“So 34:2 is…”

“You can do that one, I’m sure. Just divide 30 with 2 first, and then 4 with 2.”

The girl stuck out her tongue, furiously scribbling on her piece of paper.

“30 and 2 is 15, and 4 and 2 is 2, so it must be… 17!”  
“Good job!” John cheered, and gave her a high five. “Okay, next one—”

A small couch behind him interrupted him, and the little girls’ eyes widened in anxiety. John turned around with a frown, and stared up at the figure hunched over him.

“Excuse me, I would like to introduce myself, and I didn’t have the chance earlier,” a soft, male voice spoke. He was hard to see since he was standing in front of a window, but he looked significantly older than the children around. John shoved back his chair and stood up, and yep, he was definitely way taller. He could see the other boy better now, and he was surprised at his beauty. His eyes were dark and piercing, and he was presenting his hand almost demandingly. John shook it slowly.

“I’m John Laurens, nice to meet you.”

“Alexander Hamilton. I'm the oldest kid here. It's a pleasure to meet you.”

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys!!! I didn't plan for this to happen at all, but the story sorta slipped out of my hand, oops. The main reason I'm writing this is to bring some joy into the world after all the shit I put you through in my other fic,  [You and I, Do or Die](http://archiveofourown.org/works/9223799/chapters/20917844) (go check it out if you haven't read it yet!). Also, I really miss the sun, so I'm going to put as much tropical scenery into this as possible........
> 
> I'm not entirely sure how long this is going to be, but I do have a small outline. My main priority right now is my other fic, but I'll try to update this as regularly as possible. Enjoy!<3
> 
> hmu on my tumblr @isabellisssima


	2. Tour(ist)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “You wanna show me around here?”

“Alexander Hamilton,” John tried the name out on his tongue.

The boy in question shuffled on his feet in front of him, looking like he wanted to say something, and clearly a bit more nervous than he pretended to be. John gave him a warm smile, and turned around to face the little girl he was helping, who was furiously tugging on his sleeve.

“What is it, niña?” he asked. The little girl mumbled something that sounded like, “scare!” and John had to bite back a laugh. She looked adorable.

“Is he scary? Is he a scary man?”

The girl pouted, and adorably nodded her head. John looked over his shoulder, to the man standing behind him. Alexander Hamilton looked _anything_ but scary with his nervous, frail posture and big eyes. John kneeled down beside the girl.

“I’m going to see how scary he is, okay? I’m sure it’s not as bad as you think,” he replied, and he could _feel_ that Alexander Hamilton was rolling his eyes. The girl nodded slowly, her eyes still wide with anxiety.

“I’ll see you soon, _florecita_ , I promise. Now go do your homework, you’ll be the brightest girl in class!” he encouragingly patted her on her shoulder, before facing Alexander Hamilton again.

“You wanna show me around here?” he asked casually, standing up from his uncomfortable kneeling position.

Hamilton’s eyes widened, and a small grin spread across his face. John felt a proud feeling well up in his chest at the disappearing discomfort in the other boy.

“Sure. This is the common room. We mostly hang out here during the daytime. The little ones play mostly inside, we don’t have a garden.” He started walking towards the door, and John hastily followed, surprised at how their dynamic had shifted within one sentence. He decided to let it slip, and let the other boy lead him. Alexander gestured wildly with his hands as he spoke, resulting in almost hitting another boy square in the face. John bit back a laugh as they walked down the impoverished hallway.

“These are mostly sleeping quarters, we have one bathroom over there,” Alexander pointed to a rusty door on the far end of the hall, “And the kitchen is across the hall, but I’d advice you not to eat anything meant for the kids. Tourists aren’t really used to the spiciness.” Alexander looked at him with a smug grin.

John didn’t miss a beat when he responded, “Well, I’m not a tourist.”

Alexander rolled his eyes playfully. “If you say so. But don’t say I didn’t tell you so!”

They eventually went through all the rooms, and they silently walked outside.

“Well, this is it. I heard you were staying here for two months?”

John nodded, looking up and down the other boy now, better visible in the broad daylight. He was small and scrappy, but his posture was active, and his eyes were full of energy. He could really use a haircut, though, John noticed.

“What are you looking at?” Alexander asked, shuffling with his feet again.

“You’re a little old for this place, aren’t you?” John replied. Alexander’s face turned slightly red, “I’m seventeen.”

_Oh god, John. You just gave a kid The Look. Take a goddamn break._

“You look older,” John pondered, and he could punch himself. Alexander shrugged.

“Want me to show you the village?” He asked. John shot a glance towards the orphanage.

“Are you free to go without supervision?”

“Well, you’re pretty solid supervision, aren’t you?”

 

* * *

 

They ended up on the beach. Of course they did. John wiggled his toes in the sand, subtly looking around for any turtle nests.

“So, where are you from, John Laurens?”

“America,” John replied distantly, disappointed when he didn’t see any traces of turtles around him. A small fear shot through him. _What if there aren’t any turtles around here this year?_

“Duh. I meant _where_ in America,” Alexander shot back, and John turned to face him.

Once again, the beauty the other boy possessed shocked him. His hair blew softly in the wind, and his eyes twinkled— _John, get a grip, you’re not Nicholas fucking Sparks. Besides, he’s seventeen._

“I, uh, don’t think you know the place,” he stammered.

“Try me.”

“Charleston, South Carolina.”

“Ha! Almost the same as Charlestown. What a coincidence. And I actually have heard of the place.”

That surprised John. _How_ _does a small orphan kid from Nevis know about Charleston_? But then again, he could’ve been bluffing. Once again, he let it slip past him.

“Cool. I live in New York now, though.”

Whatever reaction John expected from Alexander on that information, it wasn’t this.

Alexander went stock-still, his eyes widened in shock. After a solid twenty seconds, he whispered,

“You live in New York?”

“…Yeah? I study there. Columbia. Law. Blah blah—“

Alexander looked like he might faint.

“You okay?” John laughed, laying a comforting hand on the frail boy’s shoulder. Alexander shook his head as if awakened from a dream, and barked out a short laugh.

“Yes. It’s just… _¡Dios mío_. Oh my god.”

“It’s just John, sadly.”

“No. I mean. _Wow_.”

“That’s the normal reaction people have when they see me, yeah,” John replied jokingly. He felt worry creep up on him, though. _I think I broke him._

“You’re living my biggest dream, John Laurens.”

“Oh.” Now John was the one shifting nervously, moving his feet in the sand.

“One day, I’m going to New York. And I’m going to be the best lawyer in the world. That’s my dream, though.”

“What’s holding you back?” John asked, and immediately regretted it. Alexander’s beautiful, dark eyes turned sad.

“Not many opportunities for a poor orphan stuck on an island with 11,000 inhabitants, now are there? A plane ticket alone costs me more than I earn in two years.”

John nodded, a bit awkwardly. He had no idea what to reply to that, other than, “That… that really fucking blows.”

Apparently it was the right thing to say, because Alexander let out a soft chuckle.

“Yeah, really. But enough about my sob story. You’re lucky, by the way, most people unlock that one only after the third date,” he said casually, and _winked_. John felt an agonizing blush creep up on from his neck, and from the way Alexander laughed, it went anything but unnoticed.

“Why are you here?” Alexander asked, after he finished laughing. It would’ve sound accusing if his voice wasn’t so soft. John glanced at the sea, almost laughing at how cliché he looked when he answered, “I don’t know, to be honest. I really like turtles I guess.”

“So you decided to hop on a plane and just camp out in this shithole for two months, so you could see turtles? Those fuckers are in Greece too, or anywhere remotely more interesting!” Alexander laughed mockingly. John rolled his eyes.

“Like I said, I’m not exactly a tourist.”

“I get that,” Alexander grinned.

“Anyways. _I_ , for one, like it here so far.”

“That’s because you don’t live here. You just see the good things.”

Once again, Alexander left John dumbfounded, unsure of what to say. So he looked at the other boy, somehow hoping Alexander’s face might give him a small clue about what the other boy might be thinking about.

Alexander’s face was open, and yet still that sadness resided.

“Then what are the bad things?” John asked, unconsciously shifting closer.

“Now that’s a date four conversation,” Alexander deadpanned, and John laughed, surprising himself.

“Well, it’s a good thing I’m sticking around for so long, then,” he replied casually. Alexander’s answer was a bit too serious for John’s liking,

“I think so.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey hey hey!!! It's time for the good ol' overly long author's notes!
> 
> Okay so firstly: this fic is going to have shorter chapters than my other fic, mainly because the story is more lighthearted and somehow shorter chapters fit better to me. 
> 
> Secondly: The weird things surrounding Alex's age are going to be less weird, I promise.
> 
> And thirdly: I'm still thinking over which other Hamilton characters I'm going to introduce. John made sense in this one, but I don't want to force the entire cast to take a random trip to Nevis just for the sake of writing fanfiction. Right now it's sure that at least Eliza and Lafayette will show up. 
> 
> If you REALLY love a character and have a great idea as to why they might have a legit excuse to visit Nevis, let me know! I'm not promising anything, but I'm open to ideas :) I do have to let you know, though, that John has his friends back in NYC, and for a few of them I already have a vision as to what there role is going to be in this fic, but I can't talk abt that without spoiling anything (I'm sounding so vague right now, please forgive me). 
> 
> Okay sorry for all the rambling (jfc I'm so sorry), thanks for reading, leave a kudo/comment if you enjoyed!!
> 
> Next up: the actual fucking turtles, fucking finally


End file.
